ISLAMABAD: The highest number of dengue cases in the current season was reported in the capital on Friday.

A meeting was held at the deputy commissioner office regarding measures to be taken against the dengue outbreak. Representatives from different housing societies attended the meeting and were directed to take strict measures against the epidemic by ensuring daily fogging/fumigation, sweeping and other anti-dengue spread activities.

District Health Officer (DHO) Dr Zaeem Zia said 117 cases of the fever were reported in the capital which was the highest number of the cases in 2021. Earlier, 96 cases had been reported on October 6 and 94 on September 30, he added.

Out of the total 117 cases, 80 were reported from the rural areas and 37 from the urban areas, the DHO said, adding 25 of the patients were admitted in Holy Family Hospital, 24 in Federal General Hospital, 11 in Benazir Bhutto Hospital, six in Polyclinic, two in District Headquarters Hospital Rawalpindi, one in Capital Hospital and the remaining 48 in different private hospitals.

Housing societies directed to take measures against epidemic by ensuring daily fogging

Dr Zia said 33 cases were reported from Tarlai, 16 from Alipur, 14 from Koral, nine from Tarnol, three each from Kirpa and Sohan and two from Rawat.

The number of dengue fever cases in the capital reached 932, he said, adding 625 cases were reported from rural areas and 307 from urban areas.

During the last 24 hours, 287 houses indoor residual spray and 317 fogging activities were conducted in the capital to prevent the spread and eliminate the potential breeding sits of larva, he said. Separate teams found and eliminated 1,201 potential sites of larva at Shah Allahdita, G-7, Phulgran and Pind Beghwal, Bhara Kahu, Model Town, Sihala, Koral, Sohan, Tarlai, Jhang Syedan, Chirrah, Tumair, Jagiot and Kurri union councils.

The teams also found 47 containers positive with larva at G-7, Bhara Kahu, Rawat and Model Town, and Koral union counicls, Dr Zia said. He said 13 houses were also found with stagnant water at Bhara Kahu, Rawat and Model Town union councils.

Rawalpindi

As many as 57 dengue patients landed in Holy Family Hospital, Benazir Bhutto Hospital and District Headquarters Hospital on Friday, taking the tally to 442.

Most of the patients arrived from cantonment areas, an official said.

According to data of the Punjab government, 20 patients arrived from RCB areas, one from CCB areas, eight from city areas and 17 from Potohar Town.

A senior official of the health authority said most of the cases were reported from areas around I.J.P Road, Misrial Road, Afshan Colony, Qasim Market, Shalley Valley, Tench Bhatta, Pirwadhai, Shamsabad, Iqbal Town, Khanna bridge, Kurri Road, Safari Villas, Chaklala Scheme-III, Dhoke Hassu, Dhoke Hukamdad, Westridge, Habib Colony, Allahabad and others.

He said the government had decided to take action against owners of houses in which dengue mosquitoes would be found. However, so far no FIR has been registered against commercial outlets where most of the dengue larvae had been found in the last two weeks.

He said Rawalpindi Municipal Corporation (RMC) failed to launch action against tyre shops in different areas of the city where rainwater remained accumulated. He said the Civil Defence was also assigned the task to check such areas but its performance had not improved despite emergence of the dengue cases.

Published in Dawn, October 9th, 2021